Is the New Ken Burns App a Great Tool for Adult Ed?

Ken Burns, known for his award-winning documentaries on American history, is introducing a brand new way to explore and enjoy his work: an app for your iPad.

In collaboration with Big Spaceship, a digital agency, Burns and producer Don MacKinnon are launching an app that condenses all 8,147 minutes of documentary material into more appealing, “easily-digestible mixtapes.” 

The hour-long playlists of clips from Burns’ work explore six major themes in American history, including race, politics, art, and war, among others. The app, called “Ken Burns,” allows the user to explore a timeline year by year, to see clips from separate films line up chronologically. Users can also watch the six playlists straight through–ranging 20 minutes to an hour–or select individual clips for viewing. The app is designed to present history the way Burns sees it.

The app is initially free to demo, but costs $10 for the full experience. 

The Ken Burns app has the potential to be a great tool in adult education. Advancing technology has changed the way we think and learn, bringing us more information at faster speeds. User-friendly tools such as the iPad can really engage students, and give them a brand new perspective in learning about a subject they might be interested in.  

Like the Ken Burns app, ProLiteracy’s American Lives is another great learning tool for adult classrooms. This collection of stories about Americans who helped shape U.S. history, is a fun way to teach adults about the country’s history. American Lives not only offers engaging stories, but also includes maps, charts, and other activities to strengthen the students’ skills.

While the facts in American history may stay the same, the way we learn about the subject doesn’t have to. Through innovative tools such as the Ken Burns app and American Lives, we can make learning fun and engaging for adults.